That First Year
by PencilHeart
Summary: Ten songs, ten drabbles, ten snapshots into the first year of Castle and Beckett's marraige. ONESHOT


**That First Year**

**by PencilHeart**

**(aka: honda)**

_A.N.:_ I saw a few other people doing the song fic challenge, where you put your MP3 player on shuffle and write a story to the first ten songs that pop up. Of course, I had to put my own spin on things. This takes place a few years into the future.

-:-:-:-:-

_i. **I Can Only Imagine** – Mercy Me_

_(Day 1)_

He never imagined he'd be here again. Not after his first two failed, disastrous attempts at marriage.

But here he is yet again, standing in front of crowd full of family and friends, dressed in an uncomfortable suit and tie. For a moment the need to run, to bolt, is so strong it overwhelms him. But then the chord of 'Here Comes the Bride' begins to play and she enters the aisle on her father's arm and he can't help but stare.

For she is all dressed in white, hair falling loosely around her face, a slight blush on her cheeks, love shining in her eyes and he doesn't think he's ever seen her look so incredibly beautiful.

And just like that, the urge to run dies in his throat.

- - -

_ii. **If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me** – The Bellamy Brothers_

_(Days 2 thru 6)_

Although they spend their honeymoon at a beautiful beach resort deep in the Caribbean's, for the first few days of their vacation they don't venture out beyond the four walls of their cabin. It's not that they don't try, she wants to go snorkeling and he wanted check out the surf at one point; but every time they decide to go somewhere and start making themselves look presentable, one of them would always find a reason to waylay the other and make them look a good deal _less_ presentable. Admittedly, the first time was his fault and she likes to believe that set the tone for the rest of their vacation.

In the end, they barely leave the room until extremely late on their last day and that's only because they have to comb the gift shops to find for something suitable for Alexis and Martha.

- - -

_iii. **Hands** – The Raconteurs_

_(Day 45)_

She's surprised to realize that it's not the feel of his lips on hers the first time that he kissed her that she remembers most vividly later.

It's his hands.

Strong and capable, yet at the same time gentle and tender. She never imagined it would be like this, never thought he would make her feel so cherished. He uses his hands to touch, stroke, and skim. His fingertips leave a trail of burning fire in their wake.

It's his hands that first told her he was in love with her.

- - -

_iv. **Crazy for This Girl** – Evan and Jaron_

_(Day 77)_

It's hard to believe, after all their years together, that he's still amazed by all the little things he doesn't know about her. He always thought he knew her well enough when they worked together, but now, he knows her inside out. Without exception she must pee the very second she wakes up in the morning, she needs coffee if she wants to function at all during the day, and loud noises startle her. He's also amazed to find out that she's not as blinded by his charms as he previously believed. She's figured out that he's not perfect and often points it out to him. He leaves the toilet seat up, he doesn't match his socks and he messes up faster than she can clean.

But what amazes him more than anything is that she's not perfect either, and he thinks maybe he should've seen that somewhere along the way. She stubs her toe at least twice a day walking barefoot around their apartment, she snores and hates making the bed.

But when she gets home, after a long day at the station with shadows in her eyes and a slight steep in her step, she comes over to where he sits on the couch, and without a word she'll cuddle into his side and lay her head on his shoulder. And he'll put an arm around her and hold her tight because really, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

- - -

_v. **The Bluest Eyes in Texas** – Restless Heart_

_(Day 103)_

He cries like a baby the day Alexis leaves for college. He keeps it together through the entire week beforehand, during the packing, shopping, and boxing. He holds it together through the long ride down to the campus, through the unloading, re-loading and the eventual goodbye. He even holds it together on the car ride back. But then he unlocks their apartment door and sees an unwanted sock that Alexis left behind and that's when it finally hits him, his baby is gone.

He stands there in the doorway, his blue eyes filling up with tears as Kate comes up behind him and puts her arms around his stomach, resting her cheek against his back. Because today is her turn to comfort him.

- - -

_vi. **Please Forgive Me** – David Gray_

_(Day 159)_

They fight. With their two personalities and tempers it's inevitable but still, it happens and they hate it. The first few times they go at it he ends up bringing her a bouquet of flowers the following day and she makes a conscious effort to be home in time for dinner the next few nights; both of them peace offerings in different ways.

But then they have a huge, giant fight about nothing and everything and he ends up dragging his pillows and blankets to the couch for the night. And she tries to fall asleep in their bed but it feels so big and lonely and his scent still lingers on the sheets and she just _can't_.

Around two in the morning she hears a disturbance in the hall and looks up to see him standing in the doorway. He looks so deflated, all his intricate qualities, all his swagger and wit lost in his slumped shoulders and sad eyes that she can't help but nod in response to the unspoken question in his eyes.

He barrels into the room and sweeps her up in a mind blowing kiss and she feels like she's coming alive by the feel of his lips on hers. For the words he conveys in that kiss says more than any bouquet of flowers ever could.

- - -

_vii. **Everywhere** – Tim McGraw_

_(Day 178)_

She has moved into his apartment, into his life and seems to have taken over every inch of his space and claimed it as her own. Her pink toothbrush lies next to his in the bathroom, her case files clutter the dining room table; every night when he shuts off the lights he has to pick his way around the skirts, blouses, pantyhose and high heels that litter the path to their bed.

But then he climbs under the covers and lies on his side, his two arms encircling her frame as he draws her near and kisses her bare shoulder. She turns her head slightly and their eyes meet.

And he knows there is no other place he'd rather be.

- - -

_viii. **Fourth of July** – Shooter Jennings_

_(Day 248)_

He dedicates his latest book to her. She is shocked the first time she reads it, she has to go back and double check, for he has never been one of those sentimental types of men. But as she reads the inscription again she happens to glance up and catches the half pleased, half terrified expression in his eyes. And she can't help but smile.

It's moments like this that it's not hard to remember he's hers now, forever and for always.

- - -

_ix. **Ellsworth** – Rascal Flatts_

_(Day 322)_

Sometimes, they take spontaneous trips on the weekends, just the two of them. Away from their jobs, away from their lives; away from publishing deadlines and court cases. They travel to small, hideaway Bed and Breakfast's and pretend for a few days that they have no responsibilities, nothing they need to go back to.

They go to bed late, wake up late and the reminder of their time is spent walking the grounds, holding hands and making out like a couple of teenage kids behind the rose bushes. He grins cockily at her when they are almost caught one afternoon and she has to put a hand over her mouth to stop the laughter from escaping.

She feels like a kid again.

_- - -_

_x. **Angels Fall Sometimes** – Josh Turner_

_(Day 364)_

Despite the fact that it's almost midnight, he can't help but feel a deep pang of disappointment when he opens the door to their apartment and realizes that she's already gone to bed.

But still, she's everywhere. Her scarf and coat are hung up in front of him; mail is tucked into a neat pile on the table by the door. There's a plate of chicken and vegetables on the kitchen counter, saran wrapped and marked with a bright post-it in her familiar scrawl: 'Eat this, not cookies.' He smiles a little and picks at the plate before putting it back in the fridge, then chuckles and grabs an Oreo from a cupboard.

When he's pretty sure he's wiped all the incriminating evidence from his mouth, he pushes open the door to their bedroom. In spite of the darkness he can make out her lying there underneath the covers, turned on her side. He sits down gingerly on the edge of the bed. She would probably kill him if she saw him doing this, watching her breathe in and out; the deep, even swells of her chest moving with her every breath. But sometimes, it's all he can do but sit and marvel that she's here with him, asleep in their bed, so real and alive that he can barely believe it.


End file.
